The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-07-14

Judge, but young Western attorney
came pretty near it when on being
fined $40 for contempt of court he said:
The fine is too small; make it
million"
A somewhat similar story is told of
Tom Corwin, who, being somewhat
| disgusted with certain Judges ruling
in case on trial, asked to be fined
for contempt of court You have
expressed no contempt of court,
sir" said the Judge. But have the
most Internal contempt for it," replied
Corwin.
This was nearly equaled by another
barrister, who, also being fined for
| contempt, declared he had expressed no
contempt, but ON the contrary had
carefully concealed his feelings.
When John Randolph was Attorney
General and in the hight of his fame,
he was on one of his trips to Washing
ton waiting impatiently for the public
conveyance, pacing nervously up and
down, when he became furiously an
noyed by the shrill whistling of man
in charge of the station. Randolph
walked directly in front of him and said
in his severest manner, stop that
whistling, SIR"
"WhyP"
Because command it.
and who are you, prayP"
I'm John Randolph of Roanoke,
SIR
well, who the devil is John Ran
dolph of Roanoke, sir?" was the
question that stunned the lawyer COM
pletely.
In the early days of law in Minnesota
Judge who was noted for his excel
liant judgment both at law and poker,
during the noon intermission of days
session became deeply engaged in
little game of draw. A big Jackpot
lay in the center of the table just as the
moment for opening court arrived;
The Judge looked at his hand; he had
three Jacks. When it came his turn he
said, Il open it," but had hardly got
the words out of his mouth when the
bailiff came in out of breath and whis-
pered hurriedly that he was waited for
to open court. Go back and an
nounce," said the Judge, ''that this
court has just opened a Jackpot. and
that the other court is adjourned for
fifteen minutes"
A young Chicago lawyer few years
ago had ease in the Federalcourt be-
fore Judge who, while noted for his
wisdom and his integrity, is exceeding
ly impatient of contradiction. The
attorney propounded the rule applicable
to a certain point, when the court
abruptly declared: THAT is not the
law"
II beg the courts pardon" said the
young attorney, "but / have a case
exactly in point"
"Do you mean to contradict me-"
said the court as mad as decapitaded
hen.
30, no, certainly not, l don't. The
Supreme Court of the United States
does, though, and want to read this
case to show you what fool that
court was.
A Fond du Lac lawyer once set out to-
argue case before Judge Mclean and
was trying very hard to force cOnvic-
ton on a certain point, when the Judge
interrupted him impatiently with al
have already made up my mind on that
point, and there's no use of your vast
ing time any longer. If you don't like
my decision you can take the case to
the court of errors"
Yes" said the attorney, ''but
there's where have it now"
Said a sharp attorney to rambling
witness: ..NOw, you must give explicit
and exact answers. You said you drove
a milk wagon, did you not?"
No, sir, didn't?"
Don't YOU drive milk wagona"
mo, sir"
"Aha! What do you do, sir?"
II drive hoss, sir"
Gen. Bragg was once arguing case
| before the Wisconsin Supreme Court
and was endeavoring to make certain
Justice testify interrupted him by say
| ing: 1T is useless to discuss that On
that point this court has made up its
1 mind"
20, you reassure me, did not know
it had any," was the answer.
| A lawyer was talking before q Wis
consin Judge on the weakness of Ger
tain presumptiVs evidence, when the
Judge interrupted him with you
needn't talk any more about that. This
court is presumed to know something"
To this the lawyer murmured. "Only
another proof of the weakness Of all
pIesumptions."
Chief-Justice Cole of Wisconsin
pretty clearly expressed the functions
of a court when he said in reply to
question of what he was busy at: 30,
guessing out cases We have the last
guess"